Ash-can.



nohssmna. Patented Aug. 27, mm. n. FRAME.

' ASH BAN.

(Application filed Jan. U, 1897.)

Witne s ses: Inventor:

j the can. 1 4

, v UNITED STATES PATENT Felon.

ROBERT FRAME, OF NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.

ASH-CAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 681,208, dated August 2'7, 1901.

Application filed January 11, 1897. Serial No. 618,891. (No model.)

To a, whont it may concern.-

Be it known that LROBERT Frame, of Newport, in the county of Newport and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ash-Cans, of which the,

following is a specification.

This invention relates to ash-cans, and more particularly to cans adapted for the economical and cleanly removal of house refuse.

The ordinary receptacle for ashes consists of a metal cylinder with a fixed bottom, into which is dumped all the refuse matter of a house,tobe rolled to the street at stated times and there to remain, encumbering the sidewalk, with its contents more or less offensive, conspicuous both to the sight and smell of every passerby, until such time as the cartman comes to remove the contents. The process of emptying these cans, as is well-known, since it is universally practiced, is not only laborious and expensive, but very offensive and annoying, especially on a windy day. Dust and light refuse are carried wherever the wind goes. The cans are banged on the edge of the cart and rolled from side to side in the effort to make them give up their contents, and consequently last a comparatively short time. The present invention is designed to overcome these objections and is an improvement upon the apparatus described in my application for Letters Patent filed in the United States Patent Office March 11, 1895, Serial No. 541,272.

It consists of a metal receptacle with a hinged bottom so arranged that it can be se' curely held in place while the can is being filled and as readily removed or swung open when it is desired to empty the contents of The can is held a sufficient distance from the floor by means of a stand or other suitable support, on which it hangs to allow a bag to be easily drawn over it, into which the contents of the can are dumped for removal.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation of the improved can and stand. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of one of the handles to the can. V

, A is the can, and Bis a tripod-stand U- shaped in plan, as shown in Fig. 2. The flaps E E are locked in some suitable waysuch, for example, as the following: The bottom of the can A is closed by flaps E E, one of which, E, preferably overlaps the other and each of which is preferably hinged to the can, as shown at e.

0 represents rods fastened loosely to the which they turn easily. each of these rods is bent, as shown. at b, so as to form a horizontal finger which is adapted to lie under the overlapping flap E, thus holding both closed. By turning each rod 0 on its vertical axis the flaps are unlocked, and the weight of the contents of the can opens them downward, so that the contents will fall out. The upper end of each rod is bent, as shown in Fig. 3, to form a handle (1, by means of which the rod may be turned so as to unlatch the flaps E E in the manner described and also by means of which the can may be lifted off the stand. This stand is intended to support the can and is sufficiently high to hold the can so that its bottom will be a few inches off the floor.

f f are latches, each consisting of a short arm shaped as shown and pivoted,preferably, to one of the pins which holds the upper clip a in place, so that it may swing around and catch in its handle cl and hold it against the body of the can, except when itis desired to dump the contents of the can. In this latter case the latch fis turned into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3, and the handles can then be turned so as to turn the fingers I) out from under the flaps. This is a simple and convenient form of latch for this purpose.

The can is best supported off the floor. For this purpose the horizontal portion of the stand is sufficiently high, and the can is provided with means to support it thereonfor example, the extreme upper end of each rod 0, which is turned at a right angle to the rest of the rod, as indicated at 0, so as to form an arm to rest upon this portion of the stand B. It will be noticed from Fig. 3 that the rod 0 has a slight vertical movement in the clipa, so that when the arms G rest upon the stand the can will slip on the rods and rest on the fingers 1?. Thus the entire weight of the can and its contents is brought on the fingers b b, and. the flaps E E are kept closed tightly against the edge of the can, making sides of the can by means of clips a a, in L The lower end of 1 a practically dust-proof joint. The top of the can is preferably supplied with a tightfitting cover g. h h are pegs attached to the standard B, upon which to hang a bag, as below described.

The operation of the device is as follows: The can when resting on the stand is intended to be sufficiently high off the floor to enable a bag to be drawn under it. When full, the bag or any flexible receptacle (which should be somewhat larger in periphery than the can) is drawn under and up over it and fastened to thestand by hooking onto the standfor example, onto the pegs h h. The latches ff are turned out of the way into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3. The handles are taken hold of and turned ninety degrees, throwing the arms I) I? clear of the bottom, allowing the flaps E E to open. The can is raised out of the bag by the handles, leaving its contents therein. The bag is removed and tied, ready to be taken to the cart. The flaps E E are swung back in place, the handles turned back to their original position, the latches dropped, and the can set back on the stand, and it is ready to be refilled.

The invention is not restricted to the particular construction here shown and described, since it is obvious that any change in detail can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention; nor is it essential that a bag should be used for receiving the ashes, since the can can be carried to the cart and the bottom then tripped and the contents dumped in a manner to prevent dust escaping.

thereto, and means for locking said bottom in place, said means consistingof a latch located on the outside of said receptacle, and means whereby said latch may be operated located near the top of said receptacle,whereby said receptacle is rendered capable of being inclosed in abag, the bottom of said bag covering the bottom of said receptacle and said latch may then be operated from near the top of said receptacle to deposit the contents of said receptacle in said bag, as described.

2. A garbage-can having a hinged bottom and means for locking said bottom in place, said means consisting in a latch located on the outside thereof and means whereby said latch may be operatedlocated near the top of said can, in combination with a stand, said can being provided with means for supporting it upon said stand above the level of the floor, whereby a bag may be slipped under said can, attached to said stand and the contents of said can then be dumped into said bag, as and for the purposes'described.

8. A ref use-can having hinged flaps closing its lower end, and provided with-one or more latches therefor, each latch consisting of a rod extending from the bottom to a point.

near the top of said can, its lower end forming a latch and its upper end a supporting arm and handle, whereby said latch may be operated and said can maybe lifted and supported, all as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of September, 1896.

ROBERT FRAME.

Witnesses:

A. B. OoceEsHALL, MARTIN HAMILTON. 

